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Pedestrians (e.g., runners, joggers, walkers, etc.) and occupants of certain vehicles (e.g., bicyclists, motorcyclists, drivers of slower-moving or otherwise vulnerable vehicles) can be susceptible to injury due to vehicular impact. Such pedestrians and vehicles sometimes travel or move along a roadway in groups of two or more. For example, a peloton of bicyclists might include 20 to 50 or more riders. When spread out in the direction of travel in the early morning or evening, front and/or rear lights attached to the bicycles may flash to provide warning to approaching drivers of motor vehicles. However, to the approaching vehicle driver, this may appear from a distance as random flashing lights without giving the oncoming driver a clear appreciation of the overall size of the group.
Existing warning lamps installed on bicycles, motorcycles and other moving vehicles flash to warn approaching drivers. The individual flash of either a forward or rear facing lamp has limited energy and, therefore, limited visual light output owing to available power and reflector surface area. Improvements in efficiency (LED versus incandescent) of the light source, sophisticated optic, and improved battery technology have led to better warning lights. However, injury as a result of impact continues and with increasing frequency. There is a need for improvements in warning light optics, power, and efficiency. Pedestrians suffer the same disadvantage when walking along a roadside. Groups of children walking to school, for example, in the early morning hours of winter are difficult to see in the darkness. Flashing lamps on the backpacks, headgear, shoes or garments worn by such pedestrians can make them more visible to oncoming drivers.
In accordance with this invention, such flashing lamps may flash in synchrony or unison or otherwise emit light in synchrony or unison (e.g., solid non flashing, pattern-flashing, etc.) when several pedestrians or vehicles are moving in a group, thereby enhancing the perceived brightness and size of the emitted light and rendering the group more visible to oncoming traffic.